Dockman

Friday evening while running the boat it started reving up and not moving very good at all. Needless to say I figured the clutch was toast, so I pulled the engine tonight and the clutch. As I was pulling it apart I did not see anything that looked bad. After further inspection I notice the clutch pads were loose on the shaft and it was just spinning. So before I go back together with it do they look ok to you guys???

MsDarla

Smooth it once in awhile with sandpaper the clutches & bell or replace it with a better clutch system.

http://bonzisports.com/proboat.html

lewisdf4

The cluthch fibres look glazed, MsDarla is correct in saying use sand paper, but not to smooth it you are actually taking off the glazed layer and allowing the fibres to grip again. Use a reasonably course paper like 320g or similar on both the fibres and the clutch surface. Glazing is caused by heat or excessive slip, on an rc boat I guess this could be attributed to how much load is placed on the clutch at take off ie. prop size etc. Clean 'em up and it should be sweet...
Cheers, Chris

PEERPSI

Looks like a Proboat clutch, check the four standoff posts to ensure they are the same length. That's why mine failed. I suspect they are done by eye rather then using a bar stop or some method of ensuring consistency.

If it ever does fail a square collet drive is a good option if you can live without idling at shore.

Dan S

dockman,

are those steel shoes?

hard to tell on the pic but it does not seem to be any fiber material on those shoes.

I never looked at a boat clutch system but they must work like my 1/5th scale, the clutch assembly should only spin with the crank shaft (not freely on the shaft) which will make the shoes open up and than grab and spin the bell.

Correct me if I'm wrong guy's.

Dan.

Dockman

Yeah that is how they work and the bolt holding it on the shaft was loose allowing it to spin on shaft. It is a pro boat stock clutch and appears to be metal.

Dan S

use some red loctite on the bolt so she won't back out again.

like the guy's said you could always upgrade to a better clutch but if you get this one working you can carry on using it.

Dan.

nothinbetr2do

loose the clutch and get a pitching buddy, and you'll get more from the motor

Dan S

lol

that would work too.

Dan.

hemicar

i just bought a hydro proboat a few months back, was taking it out for the third time and greased the flex shaft and the prop shaft and when i went to spin the prop it was VERY notchy. so i took it apart to find that the clutch bearing was already KO'd after only 3 runs, replaced with a good skf sealed bearing (6201-2rsj) and works flawless now. just another thing to look at

Dockman

What is a pitching buddy?

Dockman

I want to keep the clutch until I learn to drive it better or learn how to kill the motor with the remote. Once I'm confortable with the boat than I will be doing lots of mods.

PEERPSI

Pitching buddy: Person who pitches the boat in for owner immediately after boat starts so as not to overheat and burn the exhaust o-ring seals. Allows lower base RPM by not loading the motor too much.

I work with out a buddy but I'm mindfull of the spinning meat cleaver!

savstylesf

Well.........

I am having the exact same problem.....

What was resolved?

Dockman

Removed the clutch and went direct.

nothinbetr2do

correct.

i have been known to go solo myself

BMAD01

That clutch is an exact copy of the old Marine Specialties Zero Slip clutch. They had metal shoes and the same innards design. Years back I tried one and blew it up 3 times on a Quickdraw motor. Took it off and tossed in the garbage hopper. Been running direct drive since. Brian